New faces, new places

News in brief: College renovates multiple buildings over the summer

Numerous campus building underwent renovation over the summer, with some of the most dramatic changes occurring in Baxter House, Coles Tower, David Saul Smith Union and Hawthorne-Longfellow Library.
At Baxter House, the College opted to remove a wall on the first floor, creating a common space complete with a new television set and furniture in a space that had previously been a private living room.
House members expressed excitement at the change.
“We can definitely do more here,” said Sam Roy ’19, Baxter House’s communications director. “We can do more daytime events like lectures, maybe a capella groups here, so we’re really excited to have this open space.”
The Baxter House basement also received upgrades, including the installation of colored lights and a new ventilation system.
Coles Tower, which has been partially renovated over the past two summers, also saw major changes. This summer, student living spaces on the ninth through 12th floors of the Tower were upgraded. The second floor of the Tower was also converted into a living space after Information Technology (IT), which previously occupied the space, moved to the basement.
In Smith Union, students noticed that the former sitting area on the first floor behind the Information Desk no longer exists; the area has been replaced with office space for Director of the David Saul Smith Union Allen DeLong. While the Union is a 24-hour study space, a Bowdoin ID is now required between midnight and 6 a.m.
The Hawthorne-Longfellow Library also saw several changes. Shelves were removed from the first floor of the library to create more open space where students can study. The Media Commons in the library basement was also renovated to increase student study space.

News in brief: Moulton Union fire alarms disrupt lunch

Just 30 minutes after lunch began on Tuesday, flashing lights and the sound of fire alarms drove students and staff members out of Moulton Union.
“I had literally just walked in,” said Joseph Hilleary ’20. “I hadn’t even grabbed a plate yet when I saw a light flashing. The alarm didn’t go off at first, but then it started beeping. It was an underwhelming alarm, It didn’t worry me that much. I just walked out the side door and then walked over to Thorne.”
According to kitchen staff, a malfunction with kitchen equipment created enough heat and smoke to trigger the fire alarm at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Lauren Nguyen ’17 was participating in an Admissions panel on the first floor of Moulton when the alarm sounded.
“Around five minutes into the actual panel, the fire alarm goes off and we look around like, ‘what are we supposed to do?’” she said. “All of us were moved to the museum steps ... It was very unexpected and smelled like burned toast. The panel still worked out and [the visitors] got to see the Quad, which was nice.”
During the evacuation, dining staff members either directed the flow of traffic or joined the exodus through Moulton’s doors.
“My job [during an evacuation] is to leave the building,” said Dining Services Production Assistant Jennifer Bisson. “My responsibility first and foremost is my personal safety. The supervisors are the ones who help [the remaining people] evacuate the building.”
Dining Services accommodated students whose lunch plans were affected by the evacuation and dealt with the cause of the fire alarm. By dinner time hungry patrons once again swarmed Moulton.

News in brief

September 9, 2016

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Bowdoin made a number of administrative changes for the 2016-2017 academic year, including several interim appointees and internal hires.

Melissa Quinby ’91, formerly director of the Women’s Resource Center (WRC), was named the interim dean of first-year students, filling the role vacated by Janet Lohmann. Lohmann left Bowdoin at the end of the 2015-2016 academic year to become dean of students at Kenyon College.

Stephanie Rendall, one of two new hires, steps into Quinby’s former role as interim coordinator of the WRC for the year.

Michael Pulju, previously associate director of residential education, was named interim assistant dean for upperclass students, replacing Brandon Royce-Diop. Pulju will advise upperclass students with last names beginning with the letters A-L and serve as a secondary advisor to the Judicial Board. Quinby and Pulju will serve in the Dean’s Office for the entirety of this academic year, and the College hopes to find permanent appointments for both positions by the summer of 2017, according to an email sent to the Bowdoin community in June by Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs Kim Pacelli.

Whitney Hogan ’07, former associate director of health education, will step into Pulju’s former role as the associate director of residential education. Since she began working for the College in 2012, Hogan has served as coordinator of health education and associate director of health promotion.

Christian van Loenen was named the assistant director of health promotion and education. He will fulfill many of Hogan’s former duties, including working with Peer Health.

Dr. Jeffrey Maher is the new director of health services. Maher had previously worked for the College in a consulting role, according to an email Dean of Student Affairs Tim Foster sent to the Bowdoin community in June. Sandra Hayes has occupied Maher’s position on an interim basis since Dr. Birgit Pols stepped down as director of health services last March.

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